WHEN the VLine service from Swan Hill pulled into Bendigo Station at about 9.20am on Friday, 18 November, it was more than just a regular train ride.<\/p>\n
At the controls was David Aisbett and after more than 48 years of driving trains, this was his last time at the helm of a locomotive.<\/p>\n
For Mr Aisbett it was an emotional final journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very difficult,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was really a blur and I don\u2019t really remember that much of the last trip.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a road foreman with me, he was scheduled to inspect the track after the floods, so he asked could he come and that was good because I had someone to talk to on the way and keep me grounded and focused.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to miss everything. The mateship, I love driving trains, I love the people I work with, they\u2019re just a great bunch, the drivers, conductors, station staff, yard staff, everybody.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody in the VLine are a great bunch of people to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly half-a-century before, on 19 August 1974, Mr Aisbett began his life-long journey on the rail system.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started as a trainee and worked on diesel locomotives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a lot of mates that were doing it. They kept telling me what a great job it was, conditions were good, it was fun, and you go places and see things. So I thought, well, I\u2019ll give it a try out.\u201d<\/p>\n
After four-and-a-half years of training, Mr Aisbett was given an ultimatum, either relocate to Melbourne and take up work on the metropolitan system or move on.<\/p>\n
He chose to stick with trains, and it took more than 20 years for him to return to Bendigo.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause there was no work left in Bendigo, and the suburban rail system in Melbourne was screaming for drivers, they compulsory transferred us all,\u201d Mr Aisbett said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had no choice. We either went, or we left the job. So, my wife and I elected to go and in October 1979 we moved to Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2000 I was successful in obtaining a position back in Bendigo because they were starting to build up VLine passenger services.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt all worked around seniority, you had to be senior enough to back and by that time I\u2019d accrued enough seniority to obtain a position in Bendigo.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what keeps someone coming back to a job for almost half-a-decade?<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely, absolutely, absolutely loved it,\u201d Mr Aisbett said. \u201cYou can\u2019t do a job for 48 years, and not like it, it just becomes a chore otherwise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved it and if I could do another 20 years I would.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Mr Aisbett may no longer be at the controls of VLine services, he is still employed by the company.<\/p>\n
As it turns out he\u2019d worked as a driver for so long, he\u2019s built up almost two years leave.<\/p>\n
That means Mr Aisbett is still on the books and when his last pay cheque comes in, he\u2019ll be able to mark half-a-century of employment.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I kept going in the job and got longer and longer service, I had it in the back of my mind that I\u2019d like to do 50 years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was going to be a personal milestone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll always have an interest in trains, and I still want to be involved in what happens in the Bendigo depot because it\u2019s given me 48 years of a great job and I want the next 48 years for the people there now to enjoy what I\u2019ve had.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WHEN the VLine service from Swan Hill pulled into Bendigo Station at about 9.20am on Friday, 18 November, it was more than just a regular train ride. At the controls was David Aisbett and after more than 48 years of driving trains, this was his last time at the helm of a locomotive. For Mr […]<\/p>\n